Lens-rim for face-protectors.



R. MALCOM.

LENS RIM FOR FACE PROTECTORS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8. 1911;

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

ROBERT MALCOM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LENS-R FOR FACE-PROTECTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

Application filed December 8, 1917. Serial no. 206,161.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT MALCOM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Cook county, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lens-Rims for Face-Protectors, of which the following, taken in connection with the drawings, is a description.

My invention has for its object the production of lens holding rims for face protectors, designed to be used in various forms of face coverings, such, for instance, as those used. in places where the eyes as well as the nose and mouth must be protected from gaseous fumes of any kind.

The principal object of my invention 1s to construct the lens holding rims in such manner that they not only engage and support the lenses in proper position, but they also embody in their construct1on means for securely engaging the periphery of the lens apertures through the body portion of the face covering, whether it be formed of cloth, rubber, leather, or any other mate-- rial suitable for the purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide rims of this kind which may be easily and readily assembled and adjusted to position by hand, making it possible to exchange or renew the lenses. if accidentally broken, or for any other reason, without any special tools or appliances for doing so.

A further object of the invention is to provide a very firm gripping surface upon the material forming the body of the face protector so that it becomes practically impossible to separate the body of the protector from the rims when once assembled, thereby preventing a possibility of any opening through which gases or fumes might enter to the detriment of the wearer.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated What I now consider the preferred form of my invention, although it is obvious that various changes may be made in the size, proportion and general details thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention, and in these drawings,

Figure 1 is a. front elevation of my 1nvention, with a fragmentary view of the body portion of a protector designed to completely inclose the face of the wearer.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, enlarged approximately four times its size, through one side of the lens-holding rim;

Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a top plan view and side elevation of the lens-holding rim detached from the protector;

Figs. '5 and 6 are respectively a back plan View and side elevation of the inside rim section and Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively a plan view and side elevation of the corrugated Washer.

Referring to the drawings, 9 represents a body'portion of a face protector which may be made of any suitable material, such as rubberized fabric, rubber, leather, fibrous material, cloth, or the like, to cover the entire face of the wearer, and be secured in position in any well-known manner.

This body portion 9 is provided with lens apertures therethrough in front of each eye, into each of which is secured one of my lens-holding rims and lenses, which are designed to be air-tight and to present a gripping surface engaging the edges of the openings in the body material.

The rims are preferably formed of metal, such as aluminum or the like, which will be light in weight and of sufficient strength and rigidity to support the lenses and at the same time afford a gripping surface securely engaging the body of the protector entirely around the lens openings.

10 is a lens holding ring having an inwardly extending circumferential flange or shoulder 11, which is provided with a knurled, roughened, or corrugated surface extending parallel with the body portion 9, as shown in Fig. 2, the corrugations extending concentrically with the periphery of the ring. The inner surface of said ring being bent angularly, as at 12l2, forms a seat for the washer 13, which may be of rubber or other resilient flexible material. The inner peripheral surface 14: of this ring is screw-threaded as shown also in Fig. 2.

15 is a lens of transparent material fitting within the ring 10, and resting upon the washer 13. The edge of the ring 10 is turned over to form a bead 16, retaining the rings in place.

17 is a rim retaining ring on the inside of the face protector which is bent at right angles upon its inner edge and is provided with threads 18 engaging the threads 14 upon the corresponding face of the rim 10. This ring has grooves or corrugations 19 upon the face of the ring adjacent the protector, or said face may be knurled.

Between the front and rear rings, 10 and,

17, forming this lens holding rim is a metal washer 20, provided with circumferential corrugations or other roughened surface, corresponding to the roughened surface 11 on the ring 10, and having its inner edge 21 bent at an angle corresponding to the angular portion 12 of the ring 10.

The lens apertures provided in the body portion of theface protector 9 are of the same size as the inner edges of the rings forming the lens-holding rims. The rings 10 are inserted through the openings in the body of the face protector, the edge of said openings fitting snugly into the angular portion 12 of the rim 10, as shown in Flg. 2.

The material surrounding the lens aperi ture rests against. the corrugated face of the ring 10 on one side thereof with the roughened surface of the washer 20 hearing against it on the opposite side, presenting a strong gripping surface between the roughened portions of the ring 10 and washer 20. The inner ring 17 having the screw-threaded engagement with the ring 10 upon the inner periphery thereof, is turned into position locking the parts together and securely engaging the body portion 9 between the lens ring 10 and the roughened surface 21 of the washer 20, whereby the body portion is prevented from working loose or becoming easily separated therefrom by strains of any kind.

By thus assembling the parts having an uneven gripping surface lying in a plane parallel with the body portion of the material, it is firmly and securely engaged and held in its proper place by frictional en gagement between said surfaces.

1 claim:

1. Lens rims for face protectors, each comprising a pair of lens-holding rings, each ring having a surface extending-parallel with the body of the protector, said surfaces presenting gripping faces engaging the body portion of the protector surrounding the lens apertures, sald rings being held in position by direct engagement with each other,

2. Lens rims for face protectors, each comprising a pair of lens-holding rings having oppositelyfacing screw-threaded engaging surfaces, said rings having corresponding surfaces extending parallel with the body of the protector, said latter surfaces being uneven, a washer between said uneven surfaces, the materlal of the protecmes es tor surrounding the lens apertures being engaged between said uneven surfaces, and by pressure and frictional engagement held in place. i

3. Lens rims for face protectors, each comprising a pair of lens-holding rings arranged to engage each other on the inner peripheral face thereof, a washer between said rings,ithe face of said washer and cor responding faces of said rings presenting uneven surfaces, said uneven surfaces engaging the body portion of the face protector and firmly gripping the same.

4. Lens rims for face protectors, each comprising a pair of lens-holding rings arranged to engage each other on the inner peripheral faces thereof, one of said rings having a circumferential seat formed thereon, a resilient. washer in said seat, a lens resting on said washer and engaged by the edge of said ring, the innervring forming said rim having locking engagement with the inner periphery of the first mentioned ring, abutting uneven surfaces on said rings extending parallel with the body of the protector and adapted to engage the material of the protector surrounding the lens apertures therebetween and firmly holding the same.

5. Lens rims for face protectors, each comprising a pair of rings, a lens supported by one of said rings, said rings having surfaces extending parallel with the body portion of the protector, said surfaces being corrugated concentrically with the periphery of the rings, a washer between the lens and outer ring, and a washer between the outer and inner rings, said last named washer having a corrugated surface corresponding to the first mentioned surfaces, and means for engaging the body of the face protector surrounding the apertures between the aforesaid corrugated surfaces and locking the same together by the screwment between the inner peripheries of said 05 rings, and flanges on said rings between which the body of the protector surrounding the lens openings are engaged and locked.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

ROBERT BOOM. 

